Dehydrated skin: which products should you use in your skincare routine?

A dehydrated skin is due to a failure of the hydrolipidic barrier that can no longer retain water. This frequent but temporary and reversible phenomenon leads to a loss of radiance and comfort. Tightness is common after cleansing or showering. All skin types can experience episodes of dehydration, even those with oily skin. Skin dehydration often relates to environmental factors (cold, wind, pollution, sun), stress, fatigue, lifestyle habits (tobacco, alcohol, harsh skincare products, certain medications). Intrinsic ageing also promotes dehydration due to the decline inhyaluronic acid it induces over the years.

If your skin is dehydrated, use formulas rich in humectant ingredients (glycerine, polyglutamic acid, aloe vera...) to retain water in the skin’s layers.

Sealing water on the surface is not enough when skin is dehydrated. Moisture must be delivered to deeper layers before sealing. Water-based hydrating treatments, such as toning lotions or serums, restore hydration in the upper layers of the epidermis. They use ingredients with high hygroscopic capacity.

Toning lotions, used after cleansing, not only rebalance the skin’s pH and prepare it for subsequent treatments but, depending on their composition, also have a hydrating effect. Indeed, those containing humectants are able to increase the water content of the stratum corneum. Next come serums, treatments more concentrated in active ingredients. Those rich in hyaluronic acid or polyglutamic acid, respectively able to hold up to 1,000 and 5,000 times their weight in water, are suitable for dehydrated skin.

Toners and moisturising serums should be applied morning and evening, after cleansing the skin.

Once the skin has absorbed hydration from lotions and serums, it needs sealing with an emollient treatment, namely a hydrating cream or balm. This step not only retains water in the epidermis by forming a film on its surface, but also to reinforce the lipid organisation of the stratum corneum, and thus the skin’s barrier function, often weakened in dehydrated skin.

The choice of moisturising cream depends on skin type: light emulsions suit combination-to-oily skin, whereas balms and rich creams suit dry-to-very-dry skin or winter conditions. Some formulas also combine lipids with humectant agents, helping retain water in the epidermis and slow its evaporation.

Essential morning and evening, the cream acts as a protective coat that traps water in the skin and maximises the efficacy of prior applications.

Sometimes overlooked, sunlight contributes to skin dehydration. By generating free radicals within epidermal cells, UV rays damage cellular structures, notably the lipids that ensure the cohesion of the skin barrier. Even in low sunlight, under cloudy skies or in winter, repeated UV exposure alters the lipid organisation of the stratum corneum, weakening the barrier function and increasing skin dehydration.

To prevent this vicious cycle, we recommend daily use of a sunscreen applied as the final step of your morning routine, before foundation if you use any. It preserves the skin’s water balance and protects against photoaging, that is, accelerated skin ageing caused by sun exposure. Various sunscreen formats exist (cream, stick, lightweight fluid, gel), so every skin type can find a suitable option.

For prolonged sun exposure, reapply your sunscreen every two hours.

When skin lacks water, discomfort can arise at any time of day: tightness in mid-afternoon or tingling after exposure to cold air. In such moments, a portable hydrating step can help. This is when hydrating mists and hydration sticks come in. These products are easy to apply and carry are rich in humectant ingredients and allow rapid skin rehydration and moisture retention. Hydration sticks also contain ceramides and butters. These ingredients recreate a protective film on the skin’s surface, limiting water loss in the hours that follow.

Alongside a well-structured skincare routine, portable products such as mists and hydrating sticks help dehydrated skin remain comfortable throughout the day.